The attorney, Randall Wilhite, said during court proceedings in Austin that evaluating Jones according to his on-air comments is like judging Jack Nicholson based on his role as the Joker in “Batman.”

But Jones appeared to push back on that comparison, countering any suggestion that he’s “playing a trick on the public.”

“I believe in the overall political program I am promoting of Americana and freedom,” the Austin American-Statesman reported Jones as saying.

He returned to the stand Thursday. His ex-wife, Kelly Jones, is seeking sole or joint custody of their three children, ages 9, 12 and 14. The Joneses divorced in 2015 and Jones pays his ex-wife $43,000 a month.

Michael Harrison, editor and publisher of Talkers, a trade magazine for the radio industry, said the trial represents far more than a child custody battle for Alex Jones. Wilhite’s argument could undermine a relationship that Jones has built with his audience that’s “profoundly personal,” Harrison said.

While listeners of Glenn Beck or Howard Stern may not agree with their remarks, the audience is certainly entertained, he said. Jones, by contrast, brings a level of emotion not found among many other talking heads.

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